She started skating six years ago and quickly became addicted to what she calls “a sport for people who don’t like sport”.

“It’s really good exercise but you don’t think of it as that because it’s just great fun,” she said.

Roller derby is a fast ­paced, full contact sport played on roller skates – or in Kerri’s words “rugby on wheels.”

Teams of five skate round a track while one member, the jammer, scores points by lapping rival skaters.

The rest of the team try to stop the jammer from scoring with aggressive blocking and body-checks.

Kerri James with Tyne and Fear skater Chemic-Al, aka Alex Tyler, from Blyth

Today’s game grew out of an exhibition sport popular in 1930s America. While modern roller derby has lost the staged outcomes and scripted ‘smack talk’ of the original, it has kept the theatrical names and the flamboyance.

Fantastically named members of Kerri’s team include ‘Gin + Sonic’, ‘Ellie Mental’ and ‘Anita B Nasty’.

And some of the youngsters already have their skater names lined up, the new team will include mini rollers ‘Lilly Pop’ and ‘Wadey Gonzales’.

As well as the showmanship, Kerri stressed the acceptance that roller derby is famous for.

“Fat, skinny, tall or short, everybody has different skills so everybody has a place in the team,” she said.

The Roller Girls hold ‘fresh meat’ beginners sessions throughout the year, the men’s team Tyne and Fear are currently looking for players.